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Kraken Academy!! similar games & best alternatives

Kraken Academy!!

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch • 2021

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Quick resume

Make friends, free spirits and make sure that the world doesn’t end! Welcome to Kraken Academy, a technicolor fever dream that for legal reasons can only be described as "technically a school." Join forces with a magical kraken to save the world!

Global score

90/100

Genres

Adventure, Casual, Indie, Role-playing (RPG)

Similar games

    Pros

    • Engaging and humorous story
    • Unique time loop mechanic
    • Charming pixel art and character portraits
    • Varied side quests and characters
    • Accessible gameplay with adjustable difficulty

    Cons

    • Short game length
    • Repetitive bottle collecting for currency
    • Limited depth in character development
    • Some players find qtes annoying
    • Final boss fight feels out of place and easy

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Intimacy, Survival, Violence, Competition. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Cooperation, Fellowship, Strategy.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      3

      "Players have freedom to explore the school, choose which club quests to pursue, and use time travel to retry and take different approaches."

    • Competence
      2

      "Gameplay involves light puzzles and QTEs that are easy to pick up but provide some challenge, especially on harder difficulties."

    • Competition
      -4

      "Focus is on personal story progression and exploration without competitive elements or leaderboards."

    • Continuation
      3

      "Many players report being hooked and wanting to complete all side quests and achievements, with some replay value."

    • Cooperation
      1

      "Interactions mostly involve helping NPCs through quests but no multiplayer or direct player cooperation."

    • Creativity
      2

      "Players can customize dorm furniture and experiment with time travel to solve quests in different ways."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No elements of exerting control or superiority over others; interactions are friendly and cooperative."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players enjoy the quirky, surreal world and humor as a fun distraction from real life."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily for fun and story enjoyment, with no pressure or obligation."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Time loop mechanic encourages trying different approaches and exploring new quest outcomes."

    • Exploration
      3

      "Exploring different areas of the academy and discovering side quests and secrets is a core part of gameplay."

    • Expression
      2

      "Customization of dorm room furniture and character naming allow some self-expression."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "The game features a magical kraken, time travel, and surreal characters in a fictional school setting."

    • Fellowship
      1

      "Players build relationships with NPCs through quests but social connection is limited to single-player."

    • Growth
      2

      "Players learn to use time travel mechanics and solve puzzles, gaining mastery over game systems."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay typical of adventure and puzzle games with no physical activity."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires active engagement and attention; not designed for background or idle play."

    • Intimacy
      1

      "Some character interactions and dates provide light social connection but no deep relationships."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or management roles; player acts individually without directing others."

    • Progression
      3

      "Players collect currency, unlock club access, complete quests, and earn achievements."

    • Relaxation
      3

      "Generally a chill experience with light challenge and humorous tone, suitable for casual play."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Colorful pixel art, catchy soundtrack, and quirky animations provide enjoyable sensory stimulation."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social status or recognition systems; focus is on personal story and achievements."

    • Story
      4

      "Strong narrative focus with engaging characters, humor, and time loop plot."

    • Strategy
      2

      "Requires some planning and puzzle solving, especially using time travel to complete quests."

    • Thrill
      1

      "Some suspense in story and boss fights but overall low tension and risk."

    • Value
      3

      "Many players find good value for time spent, especially on sale; some feel full price is high for length."

    • Violence
      -3

      "Minimal violence; some smashing of objects for currency but no combat focus."

    • Survival
      -4

      "Stable environment with no threat or resource survival mechanics."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026